by chance or fortune

[Ivy Rhodes]

"You've got to stop growing so quickly, Joey! The tailor and I can't keep up!" Ivy teased her son as they left the shop, poking him in the side so he giggled.

"I can't stop growing, Mum! I have to get big and strong like the rangers!"

"Not on my watch! You've got to be my baby forever!"

"Nuh-uhhh!" Ivy's young son stuck out his tongue at her and ran ahead of her down the street. She sighed and hurried after him.

He really was growing more quickly than she could keep up, and it had only been three months since his last fitting, but he'd already grown more than an inch. The tailor was letting out the hems in all his clothes so he'd quit looking so silly. He was getting so tall… He really was growing up. It seemed like just yesterday he'd been clingy and wanting to stay in her bed when he had nightmares. Now all he wanted to do was run and tumble and 'fight bad guys' like his father.

"Not too far, Joseph!" she called after him, suddenly worried he'd vanish into the crowd. Thankfully he heard her and slowed down--problem was, he tried walking backward while looking back at her.

"I'm fine, Mum!" he insisted, using his hands as a megaphone.

"Joey, watch where you're--" she cried out to him as he backed into the path of an oncoming man, tripped, and fell on his butt in the dirt.

"Oof." was all Joseph said as he rubbed his tush.

"Joseph Carson Rhodes!" Ivy scolded as she ran up to apologize for him since apparently, her son had forgotten his manners. She turned to the stranger with one hand on her chest as she tried to catch her breath. "I'm so sorry, he--" Her eyes went wide when she recognized Eoghann Lee Frye , and she nearly lost her train of thought as she realized her hand was right over the still-healing mark where his had been. Her face turned bright pink. "Eoghann! I--um. This is my son, Joseph." She turned to look sharply at her son. "And he's very sorry that he almost ran you over. Aren't you, Joseph?"

The little boy looked appropriately guilty. "Yes, Mum."

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann was in ethion on business. It always business, and after the fiasco at Lasairdubh and finding out his brother had been keeping his niece from him for two years, and the almost man hunt for her, Eoghann was ready to be back in his woods. He had other things now to worry about. Like Davis Rhodes and knowing what he did now, but also Unseelie things. His cover of course was to visit with his father and visit a certain sister of his, so he could find out why she hadn’t told him about Myra sooner.

He was coming out of one of the shops, taking care of a special order for Oberon. He was offering the store owner, another unseelie, a good bye over his shoulder. Not watching when something small suddenly collided right into him, and Eoghann nearly trampled the child, that had crashed into his legs.

“Wooooooooooah, there-” He was already bending down to grab the kid by the arm and haul him to his feet when he paused at hearing the scolding voice of his mother. He knew that voice, and as Eoghann turned his head he saw Lady Ivy Rhodes hurrying forward. Eoghann looked down at the kid suddenly in a new light, vaguely remembering Davis had once mentioned he’d had a boy.

He turned his head back towards Ivy, and a slow smirk appeared on his face. “Lady Rhodes.” He said with a small salute and dip of his head in greeting. Eoghann looked down at her son then, and grinned at him. “I think we both weren’t lookin’ where we were goin, so no harm done. You okay?’ Eoghann asked the boy. He crouched down beside him, and offered him a hand to help him up.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ooh, that smirk was trouble! She should have known it that night at the dinner party, but she'd thought it was just because of the circumstances. Now she was beginning to think he'd been just as much trouble as Joey when he was a boy. No, maybe more. With a smile like that, Eoghann must have gotten away with a lot.

Joey grinned right back at Eoghann, happy to trust someone his mom already knew, and who was trying to get him out of trouble. He took Eoghann's hand cheerfully and pulled himself up with a little hop.

"I'm fine!" he answered, dusting himself off and straightening his shirt. "One time, I fell down a whole flight of stairs, and I didn't even cry. I'm way too big to get upset about just falling down."

Ivy sighed, clearly distressed by her son's nonchalance about getting hurt. He was always running around trying to do big, scary things that he thought the rangers would be able to do--and getting into trouble because his legs weren't long enough yet, or he was trying something that was just plain impossible. She was just glad he hadn't shown any signs of his own gramarye yet--she had a feeling he wouldn't be very good at keeping it secret if he did.

"But maybe we could try not falling down in the first place?" she suggested, though rather hopelessly.

"Nope! Soldiers and rangers get hurt! That's part of their job like daddy says. Right, Mr. Eoghann?" He turned to look at Eoghann, expecting him to agree.

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann hadn’t really liked kids much when he was younger, probably because he had so many “kid” siblings, but the moment Lee and Niall made him an uncle? Completely different story. Maybe it was because they were his flesh and blood, or maybe Eoghann had grown up, he didn’t know, but those little rascals each held a piece of his heart. Especially his namesake. He had a strange way with kids as well, and maybe it was because he’d been such a terror as a child that he knew what they were thinking half the time.

Eoghann smiled at the boy as he hopped up and he released his little hand, but stayed crouched down at his eye level. He blinked in surprise as Joey said he’d fallen down a whole flight of stairs without crying. “Woooow, that’s pretty impressive.” He told him. He glanced up at Ivy and grinned, and then Joey was going on about the Soldiers and Rangers and how they got hurt. The fact Davis was telling his son that they got hurt, and that the child clearly wanted to be just like his father, struck a chord in him. He opened his mouth then without a second thought. “A good Solider and Ranger, ensure they don’t get hurt in the first place. If they’re hurt they can’t do their job of protecting people now can they?” He asked the boy.

His face was a bit more serious, but there was still a hint of a smile as he glanced over at Ivy, shooting her a quick wink. “Were you being a good Ranger just now, protecting your Momma? Or were you running off ahead, leaving her unprotected?” He asked him curiously.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Ivy watched with a bemused little smile as the boys talked. How funny. She wouldn't have thought Eoghann would be so comfortable with children, but here he was talking to Joey like the two of them were old friends. It was rather adorable.

Joey, meanwhile, was listening to Eoghann with wide eyes, taking in every syllable. He frowned when he heard that a good soldier and ranger would make sure that they didn't get hurt, and protect others too. Maybe he should be more careful.

“Were you being a good Ranger just now, protecting your Momma? Or were you running off ahead, leaving her unprotected?”

The boy gasped, clearly horrified as he looked back at his mother in panic. He'd left her alone, where bad guys could get to her! "I ran off! I wasn't protecting Mum!" he blurted out before throwing his arms around Ivy's middle. "Mum, I won't leave you again! I have to make sure you're safe from all the bad guys and monsters and dragons!"

Ivy laughed softly and ruffled Joey's hair. "I'm very lucky to have such a dedicated young bodyguard," she replied as she glanced up at Eoghann, more laughter shining in her eyes as she tried to hold it in. He'd played the little boy like a fiddle! But what was more important--he'd used the opportunity to teach him a valuable lesson. She hoped Joey would hang onto that for a long time--an injured Ranger couldn't do his job...and he couldn't return home safe and sound to his loved ones, either.

Joey looked back to Eoghann. "I won't mess it up again, Mr. Eoghann, sir! I'll be a real good ranger, just like you and Daddy."

[Eoghann Lee Frye]

Eoghann did well in keeping the grin off his face, though the amusement was in his eyes as he made a grim expression. At Joey. Showing he’d made the wrong choice in leaving his mother, but luckily the boy seemed to realize his mistake and was trying to fix it. Good! Good, he was learning.

Only when Joey promised to never leave his mother again did Eoghann smile, and his dark eyes flickered up to Ivy who seemed to be getting amusement out of this little lesson as much as he was. “You are, and a body guard that learns from his mistakes is the best sort.” Eoghann said, pointing a finger at Joey before he slowly started to rise to his full height. He glanced at Ivy again, sharing a knowing smile with her. Going so far as to give her a little wink to let her know he’d have her back with her little ranger, and any other lesson he could bestow upon the boy.

At Joey’s promise to be a good Ranger like him and his father, his smile faltered slightly. Eoghann...well Eoghann was a good Ranger depending on who you asked. He was a lieutenant, but he there were was a reason why he hadn’t reached Captain. He told you straight to your face if your plan was dumb, and he could be out spoken, but otherwise he thought himself a damn good one. Davis Rhodes? Over confident, arrogant, a sense of entitlement and a down right bully. Still, he had a charismatic charm about him some people liked, but those that could see through it thought him a weasel. But the fact he’d been the reason Melody had been murdered was why Eoghann hated the man.

He suddenly wondered why Ivy would allow herself to be married to such a man, but caught himself. It wasn’t his place, nor his business. “I look forward to seeing it Ranger Joe.” Eoghann grinned at the child, before he placed his hands in his pockets and turned towards the boys mother. “Aside from catching up with runaway Rangers, are you having a pleasant day so far Lady Rhodes?” He asked.

[Ivy Rhodes]

Oh dear, the grin was worse than the smirk. It really wasn't fair to make a married lady's heart flip like that. And more than that, she was glad to see his smile return. She hadn't missed the shadow that had crossed Eoghann's face at the mention of her husband. She couldn't blame him, of course, how could she? He'd lost the one he loved most, all because of her and Davis. By rights, he ought to hate her, too. The very thought of that made her heart ache, though it soon softened as he turned that smile on her. Eoghann was a good man, despite the grief eating at him. She wondered if he knew it.

“Aside from catching up with runaway Rangers, are you having a pleasant day so far Lady Rhodes?”

Ivy laughed and nodded. "I am, indeed. My runaway ranger and I have been getting some errands done this morning, and now we're off to our reward."

Joey perked up, gave his mother one last squeeze before letting her waist go so that he could grab her hand in both of his. "The bakery!! You promised me two whole chocolate croissants, Mum!"

Ivy laughed and nodded, nearly stumbling as her son tried to drag her to the bakery. "Will you join us, Mr. Lee Frye? My treat."